Luminous pendant



May 9, 1950 J. cl M LENNAN LUMINOUS PENDANT Filed June 2, 1949 Eli/ll Patented May 9, 1950 LUMINOUS PENDANT ohn C. MacLennan, Toronto, ntario,.Cai1a 'dai 0 Application 'Junea ieis, Serial No.'96,-651

-- IniCanada July-2,1948 a 'Cla ims. (crest- 73) My invention relates to improvements-lin luminous pendants of the kind which are used on a pull chain of an electric light fixture.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pendant of this type which includes a transparency, such as a glass tube, that forms a part of abody member and is caused to glow uniformly as by an internal luminous coating onto which light rays are directed from within said transparency in an endwise direction. a

A further object is to provide a luminous pendant which is both attractive and useful, and one which is adapted to be suspended beneath a light fixture so that light rays therefrom may be used to activate the radiant agent. 7

These and other objects are attained by a structure which is disclosed in the accompanying drawing as an illustration of a practical form of the invention, which invention comprises the novel arrangement of parts as fully described in the ensuing specification and more particularly ascertained in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a top plan View, partly in section, of my improved luminous pendant.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the pendant.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view thereof.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view depicting in perspective certain components of the assembly, and

.. Fig. 5 is a similar view depicting other comtudinally-fluted external surface'l. Said tube is 52.

a body member in which a core member 8 is housed. Said core 8 is a transparent plastic member of a solid cylindrical form having an enlargement 9 at its upper end which is desirably of a truncated conical shape. At its upper end said core. is provided with an axial shank in having a screw-threaded portion II. The lower end of said core is provided with a screwthreaded shank I2.

Both the upper and lower ends of said core are enclosed by caps, I3 and M respectively, which are of a dome-like configuration. The upper cap I3 is made up of an inner metal ring l5, and outer metal ring it and a medial transparency IT. The inner ring I5 has an annular bead [5' which fits over the adjoining end of the glass tube 6. A split washer I8 is sprung into the recess of the bead IS in order to provide an abutment face for the adjoining end of the glass tube 6. The outer metal member 16 is supplied with a central opening 9 to permit the threaded section I! of the shank I0 to pass therethrough so that it may be engaged by a nut20- which secures thecomponents of the upper end of the pendant assembly in place. A flexible element, such as the chain 2| suspends the pendant from the electric-light fixture, which chain is attached in approved manner to the shank l0.

Said medial transparency I! may be a ringlike section of glass or other suitable transparent material interfitted in approved fashion with the complementary members I5 and N3 of the cap and preferably having an upper part 22 extended inwardly of said outer member I6.

The lower cap I4 is made up of 'an inner metal ring 23, an outer metal ring 24 and a medial transparency 25. The metal ring 23 is formed with a bead section 25 which is annular and supplies a recess in which a split washer 21 is sprung.

This washer provides an abutment face which is engaged by the adjoining end of the glass tube 6. The washer 27 is secured to the core 8 by "means of a nut on the shank i2, which washer has a separable inner part 21'. The outer metal ring 24 is pierced to permit the shank l2 to extend therethrough. The protruding portion of this shank is engaged by a nut 28 which retains the components of the lower cap in assembled relation. Said medial transparency 25 is a piece of glass orplastic which is suitably interfitted with the opaque elements 23 and 24.

In the use of the pendant it is attached to a, pull chain of an electric fixture to hang below a.- lamp bulb thereof so that light rays therefrom will pass through the transparent section I1 of the upper cap Is, as indicated by the lines A, B

and C, Fig. 2, 'An important feature of the construction is that the-surfaces S and S' of the core 8 are reflecting surfaces which are formed by a coating devised to reflect the majority of the light rays which pass endwise into the core from said transparent section I! obliquely to the core-axis. The reflecting surfaces S and S may be composed of aluminum dust applied by means of lacquer or any other suitable vehicle or hinder. The reflecting surfaces thus formed function to reflect the majority of light rays passing endwise into the core, but not all of them. These reflecting surfaces deflect the rays again and again, as indicated at D, Fig. 2, throughout the length of the core, and at the same time permit rays to pass from the core to the outside thereof in a radial manner. Accordingly the light rays are not only uniformly distributed throughout the length of the core but also the light rays entering the transparent section of the top cap are utilized to best advantage in activating the luminous paint. The inner face 29 of the lower washer 2! may also be a reflecting surface in order that any light rays passed thereto by reflection may be re-refiected. Also, if so desired the inner face 30 of the upward extension 22 of the transparent element I! may be formed as a reflecting surface for re-directinglight rays? falling thereon.

Interposed between the glass tube 6 and the cylindrical body of the core 8 there is preferably provided a light filter indicated at 3|. This filter is shown as a tubular member, which may be made of any suitable material that will act as a light filtering medium for substantially precluding light from the outside of the glass tube entering the bore thereof. This filtering film may for instance be made of gelatin, plastic or like material. The inner surface 32 is coated with a luminous paint which is activated by light rays reaching it from the transparent section I! of the top cap, thereby producing a soft glow uniformly throughout the length of the glass tube'G.

The invention as herein disclosed may be modified as to details of construction. For instance in variant structures within the scope of the invention the luminous coating might be applied to the outer surface of the film member 3!. or

on the other hand this film member might be omitted and the luminous coating applied to the a tubular body member of transparent material encompassing said core with the wall surface of its bore spaced from the periphery thereof, a tubular light filter in said bore and encircling the -';periphery of said core, opaque caps enclosing the ends of said core and said tubular body member,

at least one of said caps having a transparent ring-like section for admitting light to the end of said core which is provided with said conical enlargement, and means attaching said caps to said shanks.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1, in which the caps are provided with beads at their inner ends that provide annular recesses in which split washers are sprung, sai'd' washers forming abutment for said tubular-body.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1, in which the caps are pierced to permit the ends of the shanks to extend therethrough, and in which the caps are secured to the shanks by nuts on the ends of the shanks.

4. A luminous pendant comprising an inner body member of transparent material having longitudinal extent and provided with a reflecting surface about its longitudinal extent for reflecting and re-reflecting light rays from within that are admitted endwise of said member, said reflecting surface being of a character such as to permit a proportionate amount of the light rays to pass outwardly thereof, an outer body member of transparent material encompassing said inner body member throughout its longitudinal extent but leaving exposed an end of the inner body member for admittance of light rays therein, means providing a luminous surface between said inner and outer body members, said luminous surface being of a character to be activated by light rays passing outwardly of said reflecting surface, a light filtering element disposed between said inner and outer body members, and an opaque enclosing member covering said end of said inner body member and including a transparent section.

5. A luminous pendant comprising an inner body member of transparent material having longitudinal extent and provided with a reflecting surface about its longitudinal extent for reflecting light rays from within that are admitted endwise of said member, said reflecting surface being composed of minute particles of a light reflecting material and a binder pervious to light rays; an outer body member of transparent material encompassing said inner body member throughout its longitudinal extent but exposing an end of said inner body member for admittance of light rays therein, means providing a luminous surface within said outer body member and surrounding said inner body member, said luminous surface being suited to be activated by light rays passing outwardly of said reflecting surface, and an opaque enclosing member covering said end of said inner body member and having a transparent section disposed laterally thereof.

JOHN C. MACLENNAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,230,626 Thomas June 19, 1917 1,422,841 Dey July 18, 1922 1,465,759 Dey Aug. 21, 1923 2,455,893 Kelly Dec. 7, 1948 

